Interdependence of Living Things Created by Judy Boyle October, 2002 Next

Everyone plays a specific role in the ecosystem. You might be "king of the hill" or you might be the bacteria under his feet.ecosystem However, each of you is incredibly important to the survival of the system, no matter what role you play. Next Home Back

The word ECOSYSTEMS is short for ecological-systems. An ecosystem includes all of the living organisms in a specific area. These systems are the plants and animals interacting with their non-living environments (weather, Earth, Sun, soil, atmosphere). You could have an entire ecosystem underneath a big rock. On the other hand, you could be talking about the overall ecosystem of the entire planet. So, an ecosystem can be as small as a puddle or as large as the Pacific Ocean. Next Home Back

All living things need energy. The sun is the source of all energy in an ecosystem. Different species have different functions: 1.Producers 2.Consumers 3.Decomposers Find out about these species. Click here to view the movie. When you get there, log on: User name: Redding ES Password: library Next Home Back

Producers 1. Producers PRODUCERS are the beginning of the food chain. These aren't producers like in Hollywood. We're talking about plants and vegetables. Plants are at the beginning of every food chain that involves the sun. All energy comes from the sun and plants are the ones who can take that energy and make food. They use the process of PHOTOSYNTHESIS. PHOTOSYNTHESIS. Home BackNext

Photosynthesis is the process when plants take energy from the Sun and create sugars. Next Home Back

Here’s a diagram of the Food Chain: Next Home Back

Plants are able to turn sunlight into energy. Well... not directly. Plants are actually able to store energy in some chemical bonds that can be used later. There are two processes on Earth (1) Photosynthesis and (2) Respiration. Photosynthesis stores the energy and respiration releases it. It all starts with the sun. Next Home Back Producers 1. Producers

When that energy gets to a green plant, all sorts of reactions can take place to store energy in the form of sugar. When light gets to a plant, the plant doesn't use all of it (only about 1%). It actually only uses certain colors to make photosynthesis happen. Plants mostly absorb red and blue wavelengths. When you see a color, you are actually seeing a color that the object does NOT absorb. In the case of green plants... They do not absorb light from the green range. Next Home Back

Consumers 2. Consumers CONSUMERS are the next level. There are three levels of consumers: a. Primary b. Secondary c. Tertiary Next Home Back

There are organisms that eat plants. They are sometimes called HERBIVORES. Scientists named this first group of organisms the PRIMARY CONSUMERS. © copyright Andrew Rader Studios,Andrew Rader Studios Consumers 2a. Consumers Next Home Back

SECONDARY CONSUMERS eat the primary consumers. It's a tough world. You knew it would happen. A mouse might be a primary consumer. A cat might be secondary consumer. Consumers 2b. Consumers Secondary consumers are also called CARNIVORES. Carnivore means meat-eater. Next Home Back

Consumers 2c. Consumers In some ecosystems, there is a third level of consumer called the TERTIARY CONSUMER (that means third level). These are consumers that eat the secondary and primary consumers. A tertiary consumer could be a wolf that eats the cat and the mouse. Some consumers are called OMNIVORES. Omnivores eat anything that they can. Humans and bears are considered omnivores, we eat meat and plants. Next Home Back

Last of the players are the DECOMPOSERS. If you die, they eat you. If you lose a leaf, they eat it. Whenever something that was alive dies, the decomposers get it. Decomposers break down the nutrients in the dead "stuff" and return it to the soil. The producers can then use the nutrients and elements over again once it's in the soil. Decomposers 3. Decomposers Next Home Back The decomposers complete the system.

Next Home Back Can you tell the difference between a Food Chain and……

……a Food Web? Click here to see a detailed pond food-web. Next Home Back

Some Great Activities Put a food chain together with "Chain Reaction.“ Try these challenges from Australia Try making these three food webs. Next Home Back

More: Solve the link in the Food Chain Click here. Now, take a Food Chain Quiz You’ll need to click on the link when you get there. Next Home Back

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